Frameless insect screen



1436 L. T. MILNOR 2,318,955

- FRAMELESS INSECT SCREENV Filed May 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 9 M43.1.. "r. MILNQR FRAMELESS INSECT SCREEN Filed Mai, 15, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNFY.

Patented May 11, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j '1 armors FRAMEIESSINSECT SCREEN Leland '1. Milnor. Indian Hill, Ohio, assignmto TheCincinnati Fly Screen Company, Cincinnail, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication May 15, 1941, Serial No. 393,595

9 Claims. (Cl. 160-328) This invention relates to improvements in windowscreens of the type generally referred to as frameless, invwhich thescreen fabric for a window length is provided with rails at relativePatent N0. 2,194,222, to W. B. Ewing, March 19,

1940, consisting of closely spaced substantially parallel thin gaugestrips having an elongated cross section throughout designated ashorizontals. bound or tied together in their spaced relation by strandsof twisted wires designated as verticals at a major spacing apart.

In a frameless screen, the lower fabric binding rail usually connectswith an anchoring rail, detachably fixed to the sill of the windowframe, and provided with means for drawing the fabric tautly inposition. The ready detachability .of the lower end of the screen fromthe sill, to swing the same outwardly as a fly, provides convenience forwindow cleaning and removal of the screen to be rolled up for storage.

In the use of a screen fabric of the type above referred to, the commonmodes of attaching a wire square mesh screen cloth to a binding rail cannot safely be employed without liability of breakage to the verticalstrands in making sharp bends .or effecting undue lateral swing from asingle point.

'To further relieve the screen fabric of any strain, apt to cause abreakin the strands thereof, or to avoid bending the fabric when one endis'released to swing the same outwardly to clear the windows whilecleaning the same, the binding rail is hingedly connected to ananchoring rail which normally is fixed to the window frame. The railunit, as hingedly connected binding and anchoring rails, is applicablefor attachment to either the upper'rail or lower sill of the windowframe, so that the means for drawing the fabric tautly over the windowopening can be located either at the top or bottom of the windowopenlng.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a most eilicientand'stable method of applying a binding rail to an end of the screenfabric without liability of injury or breakage of the fabric, and in theprovision of a screen fabric binding rail having the characteristics ofa hinge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail unit composed of apair of longitudinally hingedly joined rails, one for bindinglyconnecting with one end of a length of screen fabric, and the second foranchoring the same to a sill or rail of a window frame and applicable toeither the top or bottom ends of the window frame.

Another object is to provide an improved screen of the frameless type,of simple construction and low manufacturing cost, easily fitted andinstalled to a window frame by a layman and readily removable from thewindow frame to be compactly rolled for storage.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in a description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a window frame, fitted with a screenconstruction in accordance with an illustration and embodiment of theinvention when viewed from an interior side.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of a section of the screen, with theimproved form of rails for respectively binding the top and bottom endsof the screen fabric.

Figure 31s a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figures 4, 5. 6, and '7, are illustrative in plan and section of themethod of application of a clip employed for securing an end of thescreen fabric to a binding rail for the upper end of the screen.

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective sectional view of a section of thescreen fabric.

Figure 9 is a detailed perspective sectional view of the improvedbinding rail for one or the lower end of the screen fabric.

Figure 10 is an elevation of a modified form of frameless screen asapplied to a window frame, in which a rail unit composed of hingedlyconnected strips are employed, one for bindingly connecting with one endof the screen fabric, and the second for anchoring to either the topandlor bottom of the window frame.

Figure '11 is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of a portion ofthe upper and lower ends of the improved frameless screen.

Figure 12 is a section on line iZ-I2, Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a section similar to Figure 12, with the rail unitsreversed.

In Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, certain featlfi-es of the presentimprovement are disclosed as applicable to a commercial type offramelessscreen fixture, wherein the binding rail for the top ofv thescreen, the lower anchoring rail and the means employed for applying thepressure to tension the fabric in general are representative of the typeas correspondingly employed and shown in the structure of Letters PatentNo. 1,961,383, to A. F. Nye et al., June 5, 1934, and selected fordisclosing a commercial embodiment to which the present improvements areapplicable, although not necessarily limited thereto.

The specific type of screen fabric to which the present improvement isparticularly applicable, aside from its utility as a shade and insectscreen fabric, lends itself admirably to be cut to meet differentopening or window widths without producing a ravel edge as results intrimming wire square mesh screen fabric. The wire square mesh screenfabric necessitates the carrying in stock of an extensive variety ofdifferent widths in order to obtain the benefit of selvage edges onaccount of the exposure of the opposite side edges of the fabric in aframeless type of screen.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 8 illustrates the construction of theshade and insect screen fabric consisting of a plurality of definitelymore or less minutely spaced thin gauge flat wires l of elongated orribbon-like cross section, positioned with their flat sides parallel toeach other and disposed at an angle to the plane of the cloth. The wiresI, as horizontals, are effectively locked in position by a plurality ofpairs of warp or vertical wires 2, 3, the two wires of each pair passingalternately over and under successive horizontals. The wires of eachpair are twisted together to form an integrated twist 4 betweensuccessive horizontals. The verticals are spaced approximately one-halfinch apart in the commercial product.

The screen fabric can be cut lengthwise between the verticals to meetthe necessary width measurement for a given size of window openingwithout alteration to the normal structural ends of the fabric, leavingthe opposite ends of the horizontals projecting slightly beyond the endverticals of a series. For a length cut of the fabric, the verticals aresevered at the twist between an adjoining pair of horizontals. A sever--ance intermediate of the twist provides for sufficient interlock of thepair of wires of a vertical to prevent ravel.

Owing to the large degree of spacing of the verticals, a comparativelylimited number of verticals are employed, which does not aifordsufficient stability to secure an end of the cloth fabric to a bindingrail in the simple manner as for wire square mesh fabric by merelybending or doubling over an end of the fabric to form a fold or overlapfor intermesh with a correpondingly folded end or edge of a sheet metalbinding rail without additional reinforcement to avoid breakage of theverticals, and to grippingly engage with a series of horizontals.Therefore, for the top of the screen, in order to use a conventionaltype of binding rail, the method of application of the fabric to theupper rail is in modification to the method employedfor connecting thefabric to a bottom rail. The example of top rail 5, as illustrated inFigures 1 and 3, comprises a sheet metal strip formed to provide a fiatbody portion 6 with a short flange I on its inner edge, and a pair ofchannel flanges 8, 9, for the outer edge relatively extending fromopposite sides of the body. The

lower channel flange 9 constitutes a laterally extended part of the railfolded over or doubled upon itself to correspond with the folded-overend of the screen fabric to effect a longitudinal intermesh of the railand fabric, and secure the same against release from tension pull on thefabric. The fold of the fabric immediately underlies the body portionserving as a stop, and necessitates endwise sliding of the parts tobring the same into intermesh or interengagement.

Before folding over the margin of the fabric,

. it is reinforced at a determined number of points by sheet metal clipsl0, either of a width to interlie between a pair of verticals of thescreen fabric, or severaladjoining verticals, and looped over or about aplurality ofthe horizontals as shown in Figures 4 to 'l inclusive. Thereinforcing clip I0, when of a dimension to include the spacing betweenthree verticals, 4, of the screen fabric and loop over a plurality ofhorizontals I, has a sealing margin I! of the clip provided with acentral slot l3 therein to straddle the intermediate vertical. After theclip has been applied to enclose an end series of horizontals of thefabric, it is folded or doubled over with the fabric in bending to makean interengaging fold with the fold or flange 9 of the top rail.

In Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of single and double width clips areillustrated, the double width pattern being preferably employed on theopposite ends of the folded edge of the fabric.

The upper binding rail is tautly secured to the top rail of the windowframe by a pair of spaced screws, having their heads each traversing anaperture in the body portion of the binding rail and clamped in place bya slide bolt H on the body portion of the binding rail having itsforward end forked to engage the shank of the screw beneath the head.

The lower binding rail I5 is of a form for making a hinging connectionwith the extensible anchoring rail l6, and constitutes a strip of sheetmetal notched along one longitudinal edge or margin to provide aplurality of relatively uniform tongues ll, each to lie between anadjoining pair of verticals 4 of the screen fabric, and to engagebetween an adioining pair of horizontals and bent upon itself toenvelope a plurality of horizontals for the end margin of the screenfabric. A second portion l8 of the rail is bent upon itself into channelor U-form with the outer fold edge notched at uniform spacing apart toprovide a leaf or element of a hinge for pivotally connecting the railto a correspondingly formed end of a hinge plate or leaf l9 slidablymounted upon the anchoring rail IS.

The lower rail being of hinge form, thus is composed of a pair of railsections hingedly united in the form of a piano hinge, with one of therail sections notched inwardly along one edge at uniform spacing toprovide a plurality of tangs for connection and binding one end of thescreen fabric, and the second for slidably joining to an anchoring railIE, or other means for detachably fixing the binding rail to the frameof the window opening. The hinge avoids imparting any sharp bending ofthe verticals of the screen fabric in rolling up the fabric about the'anchoring rail extensibly connected with the binding rail, so thatinjury to the fabric from such source is eliminated, and greater freedomis allowed for more compactly rolling up the screen aboutthe bindingandfastening rails as a core.

The anchoring rail and method of slidably connecting the lower bindingrail thereto, as well as a means employed carried by the anchoring railfor drawing the screen fabric downwardly to stretch or tension the same,may follow substantially the construction shown in the afore- 2,318,9653 mentioned Nye at al. patent, although it is unment with a screw flxedto the top rail or bottom derstood that various other constructions maysill of the window frame.

be employed for detachably securing the lower binding rail to the windowsill, and for drawing the screen fabric tautly in position.

Insofar as is shown in Figure 1, the anchoring rail it is approximatelyof L-shape in cross section, with thebase flange 20 bearing on thewindow sill and secured thereto in the same manner as previouslydescribed for securing the top binding rail to the window frame. Thecross sectional form of the anchoring rail provides a guide for a pairof opposingly slidable tension plates, 2|, 2!, having a flngerhold atone end. The plates,

' each have an inclined slot 22 therethrough, traversed by a headed pin23 fixed or riveted to the binding rail, and also traversed "through avertical slot in the anchoring rail. Upon moving the slide or tensionplates 2|, 2|, in a direction toward each other, the binding rail isforced down wardly, tensioning the screen fabric while. in movement inan outward or opposite direction releasing the parts.

It is obvious that the method employed for clinching the bottombindingrail to the lower end of the fabric may equally serve for the topedge of the screen fabric, and the rail of a structure for detachablymounting the same to the. window frame.

Referring to Figures 10 to ,13inclusive, the

opposite ends of the screen fabric for the top and bottom of the windowframe, each connects to a binding rail ii of a constructionsubstantially as shown in Figure 3 for one or both ends of the fabric ofcoolshade type. i The binding rail i5 is an approximately flat tubularstrip formed of sheet metal, with one fold edge notched or re- A rail 21for a second end of the screen fabric,

as a hinge leaf, is preferably of a forma'tion'in cross section toprovide a plane or horizontal body portion 2! having a flange 2! at onelongi-, tudinal end extending at an angl therefrom from one sidethereof, and doubled over with the fold edge notched for matinglyconnecti..g with a correspondingly formed edge of the binding strip IIto hingedly connect the. same fol-the full length. The body portion 28of the rail 21 is provided with a flange I0 extending at an angle fromthe opposite edge and side of the body for edge contact with a rail orsill of the window frame.

Interposing a hinge between the connection of the screen fabric to thebinding rail and con-- nection with the window frame, accommodates forany lateral movement imposed in stretching the fabric to the relief ofthe verticles in a coolshade typeof fabric, which cannot withstandcessed at uniform spacing apart to matingly receive a correspondinglyformed edge of a second rail for making a hinged connection of pianohinge type for the full length of the strip or rails, each alternatelylooping over a. pin or hinge pintle 24.

The opposite longitudinal forward edge of the strip or binding rail isnotched, as previously described, to provide uniformly spaced tongues Hfor claspingly engaging with one end of the screen fabric between theverticals when of a coolshade type of weave as illustrated. The bindingrail is also applicable to the standard square mesh type of wire screenfabric, in which instance, however,

the notching to produce the tongues is not employed, as the fabric maybe doubled over into a loop reversely corresponding to the loopformation of the binding rail, and the screen fabric and rail joined byendwise sliding the two into intermesh, following a standard practice.

The binding rail correspondingly serves for either of the opposite endsof the fabric, and

therefore is of duplicate construction at both ends. For one end of thefabric, the binding rail may be referred to as constituting a pair ofrails hingedly connected, one of a cross sectional form for making abinding connection with the screen fabric, andthe second for attachmentto the window frame. The second may be of various forms in crosssection, and as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, in which they differslightly for the respective opposite ends of the fabric. In oneinstance, the second or fastener rail is represented as of channel form25, with the first or binding raii l5 hingedly joined with thedoubled-over end of the flange 26. The channel rail 25 is provided witha plurality of slide latches ll constructed as previously described,each for engageabnormal bending at a single point without liability ofbreakage. The hingealso eliminates the bending of the verticles at theirpoint of con nectionwith the binding rails when the screen is detachedat one end from the window frame to swing the, sameoutward, or theflexing of the verticles at a binding point when the fabric is subjectedto severe wind pressures when under a. taut condition. The screen canalso be more compactly rolled up for packaging and storage withoutinjury to the verticles. The body portion is apertured at severaldeterminately s'paced'points for making a detachable connection with ascrew 3| or other form of fastening means fixed to the window frame. A,

thumb nut is threaded upon the shank of the screw, and bears against theupper side of the body portion of the rail, and provides a means fordepressing the anchoring rail for drawing the screen fabric tautly inplace.

The tension of the screen fabric cants the rail 27, and swings upon thethumb nut as a fulcrum, depressing the inner edge of the rail againstthe surfac of the sill or rail of the window frame, making an insectsealing joint. The cross sectionalstructure of the rails may bevariously modified from the selected forms disclosed, and various formsof fasteners may be employed for detachably' securing the same to thewindow frame and for drawing the screen fabric to span tautly the windowopening.

The flange form of rail, however, serves to reinforce the strip, givingit the necessary rigidity to adapt the same to be made of tively lightgauge sheet metal stock.

The rails can be easily formed in any stock lengths and readily cut tomeet dlflerent window width sizes, with the anchoring rail slightlyshorter than the binding rail to fit between the blind stops of thewindow frame while the binding rail at its opposite ends overlaps theblind stops to bring the opposite margins of the fabric in bearingcontact therewith when brought under tension.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1., In a frameless insect screen foran opening such as a window, ascreen fabric of the character disclosed and a binding rail for one ofthe relatively opposite ends of the fabric, notched inwardly along oneof its longitudinal edges to provide a plurality of uniform tangs, eachfor traversing through a mesh of the fabric, and looping about its endmargin.

a compara- 2. In a frameless such as a window, acter disclosed andrelatively opposite inwardly along one traversing through enveloping itsend 3. In a frameless such as a window,

insect screen for an opening a screen fabric of the chara binding railfor one of the ends of the fabric, notched of its longitudinal edges forthe mesh of the fabric, and margin.

insect screen for an opening a screen fabric of the character disclosedand a binding rail for one of the relatively opposite. ends of thefabric, having hooks along one of its longitudinal edges for traversingthrough the mesh of the fabric, and enveloping its end margin.

4.'In a frameless insect screen for an opening such as a window, ascreen fabric of the character disclosed arid a sectional binding railfor One of the relatively opposite ends of the fabric, one sectionalong; one of its longitudinal edges having a row of tongues fortraversing through the mesh of the fabric to envelope its margin, saidsections being hlngedly united.

5. In a frameless insect screen for a window or like opening, a screendisclosed having means at one end thereof for attaching the fabric to awindow frame, a sectional binding rail for the relatively opposite endof the fabric, one section along one of its longitudinal edges havinghooks for traversing through the mesh of the fabric to envelope itsmargin, said sections being hingedly united, and an anchoring rail forattachment 'to a window frame connecting with the second section of thebinding rail for relative movement and means for bent to provide hooksfabric of the character moving the binding rail relative to the anchoring rail for tensioning the screen fabric.

6. In a frameless insect screen for an opening such as a window, ascreen fabric of the character disclosed, a binding rail for one of therelative opposite ends of the fabric, and a bendable metal clip' formarginally enveloping and reinforcing one end of the f'abric andbendable therewith for attachment to f'said binding rail.

'7. In a frameless insect screen for an opening such as a window, alength of screen fabric and a rail unit for each of th opposite edges ofthe fabric constituting a fabric binding rail and a fastener railhingedly united longitudinally, the

, binding rail having a clasping engagement with the end of the fabricfor the full width thereof, and the fastener rail having a detachableconnection with the window frame.

8. In a frameless ins'ect screen for an opening such as a window, alength of screen fabric, a rail unit for one end of the fabricconstituting a fabric binding rail and a second rail hingedly unitedlongitudinally, the fabric binding rail having a clasping engagementwith the end of the fabric for the full width thereof, and the secondrail adapted for detachable connection with the t window frame.

9. In a frameless screen for an opening such as a window, a length ofscreen fabric, means for each of the opposite ends of the fabric forsecuring the same to the framing of the opening, comprising, a pair ofstrips hingedly united, one for direct connection to the fabric, and thesecond for attachment to the window framing.

" LELAND '1. MILNOR.

